Plus, news about Maat Pharma, Secretome Therapeutics, 35Pharma, Medigene and Doron Therapeutics:
Aviceda Therapeutics’ $200M financing:
The Boston-area biotech is looking to raise a $200 million equity round, according to an SEC
filing
on Friday. The company recently
completed
enrollment for a Phase 2b study testing its investigational drug, called AVD-104, against Astellas’ Izervay in patients with geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration.
— Kyle LaHucik
Nerviano’s dealmaking:
Nerviano Medical Sciences will
reacquire
the worldwide rights to a PARP1 inhibitor dubbed NMS-293 from Merck KGaA. The drug is in a Phase 2 study in relapsed glioblastoma. The Italian biotech had received
$65 million
in upfront and option fees, the companies disclosed in September 2022. Earlier this month, NMS also
bought
a Phase 2-ready PARP7 inhibitor from
Ribon Therapeutics
., which has shuttered. Terms of both deals were undisclosed.
— Kyle LaHucik
MaaT Pharma touts positive Phase 1b data for its ALS drug:
The topline data shared Tuesday showed that
the trial
met its primary endpoint, assessing the safety and tolerability of the drug, dubbed MaaT033, with multiple doses in ALS patients over two months. More data are expected early next year. According to the company, the data safety and monitoring board for the trial supported moving the drug into a Phase 2 study.
— Katherine Lewin
Secretome Therapeutics raises $20.4M for heart therapies:
The cell therapy company plans to use the
proceeds
to launch two Phase 1 trials for its lead asset, STM-01, in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and dilated cardiomyopathy. The studies are expected to start by the end of the year.
— Ayisha Sharma
35Pharma’s $35M Series C:
Frazier Life Sciences led
the financing round
for the clinical-stage biopharma, which wants to use the money to support clinical proof-of-concept studies for its candidate in pulmonary hypertension and get its asset through a Phase 1 trial in HFpEF and obesity.
— Katherine Lewin
Medigene to lay off approximately 40% of its workforce:
Along with the layoffs,
the company is
refocusing its capital on R&D programs with the “highest potential for return on invested capital.” As of Dec. 31, 2023, the company had 86 employees.
— Katherine Lewin
Doron Therapeutics bags $11M in Series A:
The company said the
funds
will support the Chapel Hill, NC-based biotech as it advances its regenerative medicine candidate, Motys, into Phase 3 development for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. The asset could offer “potent and durable effects from a single injection” as an alternative to surgical interventions, according to Doron.
— Ayisha Sharma